


Deceitber But All The Prompts Are Connected

by SimpleLittlePaperyAnon



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Deceit x Everyone, I'm tryna get on track to write more, M/M, Thanks Virgil, by making a lil drabble for each prompt, eventually gonna be DLAMPR, great now theres foul language, in an overarching universe, remus hasn't even shown up yet he just gets mentioned a lot ahhh, warning for the Remus chapter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 18:41:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21663232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SimpleLittlePaperyAnon/pseuds/SimpleLittlePaperyAnon
Summary: I'm trying to write more so, I'm going to write a drabble for every day of Deceitber! Except that they'll all be part of the same universe, and take place in chronological order. Deceit/Everyone, I promise you, it'll just take some time to get there.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Deceit Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil/Creativity | Roman/Dark Creativity | Remus/Deceit/Logic | Logan/Morality | Patton, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders/Deceit Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders/Deceit Sanders, Deceit Sanders & Everyone, Logic | Logan Sanders/Deceit Sanders, Morality | Patton Sanders/Deceit Sanders, dlampr
Comments: 23
Kudos: 124





	1. Dec. 1 - Stolen Hat

**Author's Note:**

> Remember how Roman stole Deceit's hat??? Yeah me too

“You took my hat.” 

“I needed it.” 

Deceit folded his arms across his chest, fixing the prince with a disapproving stare. “You still stole my hat, Roman.” 

Shrugging, the guilty prince just looked away. “I still needed it.” 

“To cheat?” The lying side asked in exasperation. 

Roman pulled his legs up on the side of the bed, and patted the scarlet covers next to him invitingly. “Come on, it was funny! At least let me make my case, Mr. Master Lawyer Man,” he teased, “I have the right to a fair trial!” 

The lying side sat down next to him with a huff. “Rights are a restricted commodity that are strangled by a government who--” 

“SO basically,” the prince started, cutting him off, “I needed to use the power of slanted games and quick handiwork in order to secure the best movie - Frozen, naturally - was chosen for movie night!” He paused, and then added, somewhat darkly, “The movie night I personally invited you to.” 

Fixing his reclaimed hat, Deceit rolled his eyes. “Yes, and I told you that Disney is a corrupt organization based in monopolizing the entire film and entertainment--” 

Roman dramatically threw himself to the side, sprawling on his back in the other’s lap. “But I asked you! Almost everyone was there! Thomas missed you! Not to mention,” He reached up and snatched the hat off Deceit’s head, ignoring the startled hiss, and placed it on his own. “I knew that taking your hat would lure you out of your room!” 

Deceit’s eyes narrowed as Roman continued talking, waving his hands dramatically and seemingly unaware of how irritated his audience was. 

“It’s too bad you didn’t show up sooner - you could have watched the movie with us! We would have loved your company, you know.” Roman looked up into Deceit’s eyes, smiling warmly in a way that brought heat to the human side of the liar’s face. 

“I wasn’t invited,” he muttered. 

Roman grabbed Deceit’s face with both hands, almost losing the stolen hat in his rush to sit up. “Deceit! I literally invited you! Just because the others didn’t…” 

Realization washed over him like an overpowering tidal wave, and this time, embarrassed heat rose to Roman’s cheeks. He laid back down, letting go of the now silent aspect’s face, and looked away.

The uncomfortable silence seemed to stretch on forever, until Roman finally couldn’t take it any longer. “You know,” he muttered, looking back at Deceit, “I don’t care if the others don’t want you around. You could always just… Hang out with me.” He paused, unsure, before continuing. “At the very least, you know, I appreciate you.” 

Grabbing his hat back, Deceit abruptly stood, sending Roman tumbling to the floor with a yelp. “I can’t stand you Creativities - you’re so… ugh!” He smacked his free hand over his reddened face, letting out a flustered hiss. “Don’t you think about the meaning of words before you say them?!” 

“Uh, of course,” Roman scoffed, sitting up and fixing him with a pout, “And I meant what I said. I appreciate you, and I like you, and I want you around!” 

Deceit glared, blush so strong it gave his face a Christmas-colored theme, and hissed with pure, flustered rage. “You… You can’t… You can’t just say things like that! Don’t be so… ssssso… Augh!”

The prince watched as the snake-like side stormed out in an embarrassed huff, and sighed heavily. 

“Love you too, Jekl and Lied…”


	2. Dec. 2 - Warm Scarf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton gives Deceit an apology scarf.

Patton crept down the hall as quietly as he could, the bag in his hand shaking with excitement. 

This was going to be amazing! He could feel it in his bones - in his soul! - that Deceit would love his gift! They were going to get along so well! He just had to extend the olive branch, as Roman would say… 

An invite to movie night, Patton had decided, was too much. It was too pressuring, too social, too rough on his tentative attachment to them all. It had worked for Remus, but not Deceit. 

So Patton had decided to be more… “restrained.”

He slipped down the stairs, trying to skip every single creaky step. Sneaky, sneaky… That was the way! 

Hanging out with everyone was too much, and so Patton would be more gentle than Roman had been, and he would make it work. He would give Deceit something he could like - and use, according to Logan - and that way, Deceit didn’t have to face them all at once!

Patton sneaked his way down the colder hall, right up to the yellow door with the black accents, and crouched down, gently placing the bag on the doormat. 

Grinning, he jumped up, and came face to face with a very unamused Deceit. 

“Morality. What are you doing?” 

Patton huffed, “Now the surprise is ruined! Oh… That’s okay!” He grabbed the bag and held it out at arms’ length. “Here! I got you a gift! It’s uh, an apology for movie night.” 

Deceit carefully took the gift bag, looking like he might be sick. “This isn’t… some kind of…?” He tentatively opened it as Patton vibrated with excitement. 

The moral side giggled as the other slowly pulled the soft, thick scarf out, letting the bag fall to the ground. He looked absolutely shocked, just like Patton had hoped, but he wasn’t smiling or laughing, which made him nervous. “Do you like it?” 

“I…” Deceit felt the material between his gloved fingers, then slowly wrapped it around his neck, seemingly still in awe. The heavy material, Patton now realized, was more than a bit too wide for Deceit’s neck, piling up around his shoulders and spilling over in golden waves. 

The design had taken him hours, not that he would admit it, because even though he took so much inspiration from the amazing store’s design, he wanted it to be personal, and meaningful. 

Deceit looked up, with tears in his human eye. “Patton, I love it. I… Thank you. Thank you so much. Nobody has ever…” He trailed off, lifting the scarf to rub his face in the warm fabric. 

It was just way too cute. 

Patton squealed, and resisted the urge to launch himself over the threshold and wrap the snake in a crushing dad-hug so nothing could ever make him sad ever again. “Deceit! You are just… Too cute! You’re so cute!” 

The liar glared, blood rushing to his face. “Whatever. You’re… uh… You’re forgiven. Yeah.” He awkwardly shifted, still feeling the scarf with both hands and his face. “Did you need… Anything else, or--” 

“Nope!” Patton chirruped. “Just wanted to give you a scarf!” 

Deceit gave him a shy smile. “Well… Thank you.” 

As soon as he shut the door, Patton tilted his head back to grin at the ceiling. 

“Oh, I _love_ love you, huh…”


	3. Dec. 3 - Cozy Sweater

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan is worried about the temperatures Deceit lives in. Something must be done about it.

Logan set down his knitting needles with a satisfied onomatopoeia. Clack, or perhaps more cleck, he decided. Either way, incredibly satisfying. 

Recently, Logan had taken note that the darker part of the mindscape was, quite literally, in a large shadow, and thusly, had a very low average temperature. The other sides were always complaining of the cold after visiting the lower parts of their metaphysical realm, and, well, to be perfectly honest and metaphorically transparent, Logan was worried about it. 

Although Remus spent much of his time in the colder months frolicking through the mindscape with Roman, Deceit did not, and that fact made the logical side concerned. 

Reptiles could not be left in the cold for long periods of time, and Deceit was, at least visibly, part reptile. 

With these facts in mind, Logan had taken up his stress habit of knitting, in order to make a large, fluffy sweater. He would, of course, deny that he had made it with the thought of Patton’s scarf in mind, hoping that if they matched Deceit would be more likely to wear the warm garment. It was essential that he take every step and measure to ensure this item would be used by Deceit for its intended purpose - to keep him warm. 

Unlike the others, Logan took much more careful note of Deceit and Remus’ responses to their familial attempts at emotional connection. Deceit had not responded well to direct contact as Remus had. In fact, Deceit had become aggressive when Roman attempted to lure him out for their movie night. However, Patton’s simple gift method had worked exceptionally well, and Logan was determined to recreate those results. 

If there was a pattern, he could repeat the actions that made Deceit the most comfortable, and at the very least, Thomas’ life would be improved in direct correlation with that. 

Logan stood, taking the sweater with him, and neatly folded it. 

He strolled calmly down to the so-called “dark sides” home, taking care to be as gentle with the sweater as possible. The pattern, despite the aesthetic appeal he was quite positive it would hold for Deceit, had taken him hours, in fact, he wasn’t quite sure how Patton had done it in the first place. 

The logical side simply walked into the kitchen, not bothering to stop at Deceit’s room. It was, according to his internal clock, 5:49, and the self-protecting aspect would surely be making dinner. Tuesday was Deceit’s night to make dinner. These facts told Logan that the other would be in the kitchen, and he was correct. 

Deceit swore loudly as he dropped the hot tray on the counter. 

Logan waited patiently as the part-snake side rushed around the kitchen in an angry manner, his multiple arms waving about as he jumped from task to task. 

It was… somewhat mesmerizing, and the fact that he was wearing the scarf Patton had made him did not escape Logan’s critical eyes in the slightest. 

After 7 minutes, 13 seconds, and several swears, Deceit finally realized Logan was standing in the kitchen, watching him silently. 

He swore again. “Logan! What in the actual…?! What are you doing here?” 

“I brought you a gift,” the logical side stated, holding the golden sweater out for inspection. “I attempted to mimic Patton’s scarf pattern satisfactorily.” 

Deceit took off his oven mitts, and Logan did not address the fact he was wearing his usual gloves underneath them. “You… got me a sweater?” He sounded doubtful, but took the soft fabric in his hands regardless. “How… thoughtful… You… Oh, it’s so soft…” 

Logan adjusted his glasses. “Of course. I hoped to keep you warm this winter season, considering the temperature of the lower mindscape areas.” 

“Ah…” Deceit’s human cheek blushed a soft pink. “Thank you, Logan. I… I’m sorry for the thing in the courtroom. Er…” He shuffled uncomfortably from foot to foot. “You were… actually very helpful. I should not have treated you so poorly.” 

Smiling, Logan nodded. “I accept your apology, Deceit.” 

Deceit looked down at the sweater again, his cheeks getting more and more red. “Would you… ah, that is… uh… I… Um, would you… Logan, would you like to stay for dinner? I’ve made more than enough…” 

“I would love to.” Logan watched as Deceit turned back to the stove, clutching his gift in two hands. 

Oh, this feeling in his chest...


	4. Dec. 4 - Cold Hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil tries to play a prank on Deceit but they're both absolute messes.

When Virgil was still a kid, Deceit used to play a trick on him. 

Every winter, at totally random times, he’d stick his hands outside, or on a window, or in the fridge, until they got cold, and then shove them up the back of Virgil’s shirt. The shock of cold fingers on his bare skin never failed to make him shriek and jerk away from the touch, much to the other’s delight. 

Although Virgil never really accepted that Deceit was just playing, he did sort of get it. Neither of them was actually capable of expressing a decent amount of affection or a desire to befriend someone as kids. It was just… Dumb. More than a little embarrassing. Virgil tried his hardest not to think about how cringey the two of them were as kids, or at least, how cringey he, himself, was as a kid. 

None of that was going to stop him from going through with his plan, though. 

Virgil shivered, but kept up his resolve. Holding his hands deep in the ice bucket, the anxiety-bringing side let a slight grin slip onto his face. 

Deceit’s face would be priceless. Virgil could practically hear the liar’s shocked scream already… Standing quickly, he yanked his hands out of the freezing water, and booked it back into the house. He rushed down the stairs into the colder living room, and glanced around eagerly. 

The dark side commons were abandoned, with none of its inhabitants around, so Virgil headed down the hall and towards Deceit’s room. 

Before he even reached the door, Virgil felt the familiar chill of cold hands being shoved up under his shirt. 

Screeching, he jolted away from the sensation violently, and stumbled to the ground. “Deceit! What the fuck, man, I wasn’t even bothering you!” The dark-clad side hissed from the frigid black concrete. “Do you have to keep doing that to me?!” 

Deceit only laughed, tugging his gloves back in over his hands. “I saw you outside, you know. You aren’t slick, Virgil dearest.” 

“You still didn’t have to be a prick about it,” Virgil grumbled, shuffling to his feet. Great, now his hands were cold for literally no reason. Fantastic. “And anyways, it’s not like you haven’t been doing it to me since we were like, kids, you know. I think by now I’m entitled to a little payback.” 

The lying side only chuckled. “I never said you weren’t! But, you know, my hands get very cold, and your skin is so warm,” He waved his gloved fingers at the other, as if trying to creep him out, “I jusssst have to sssssteal a bit of your body heat!” 

Virgil groaned. “Why do you say it like that? Like you’re calling for a blood donation charity or something. ‘You have so much body heat, Virgil! Stop being so selfish!’ It’s my hard-earned body heat, dude!” He jabbed a cold finger at Deceit accusingly, trying not to let the sneak’s calm and unbothered demeanor get to him, “I don’t have to give you body heat because you need it or whatever!” 

As soon as he said it out loud, everything clicked into place for Virgil. Deceit wasn’t playing tricks, his hands were just cold in the winter. 

“That’s so out of character for you, Virgil, I pegged you as more of a communist.” Deceit scolded playfully. “What’s with that look? Cat got your tongue? Or is it some other animal, hm? Let me guess, let’s see…” 

Virgil cut him off by grabbing his gloved hands in his own, ignoring Deceit’s cry of “cold!” in favor of examining the material the shiny yellow gloves were made of. 

“Holy shit dude, you need some fucking mittens.” Virgil muttered, turning the gloved hands over in his own. They were very smooth, but thin enough that Virgil could slightly feel the edges of scales underneath them, so he couldn’t imagine they kept in much heat. 

Instead of making a quip about his terrible language like usual, Deceit stayed quiet, until Virgil eventually looked up to meet his horrified gaze. The human side of Deceit’s face was completely red, and his eyes were widened in shock. His mouth was partially open, as though he wanted to say something, but no words manage to come out. 

Feeling his own face turn pink, Virgil quickly let go and practically jumped backwards. 

“Uh. Well.” 

“Um…” 

Virgil laughed awkwardly. “So I know what to get you for the holidays now!” 

Deceit clapped his hands, eagerly jumping on the distraction and grinning far too wide. “Yes! Yes, uh, most certainly. I would lo-- I mean, uh, hate, that. Yes. Ah, no thank you, Virgil, as, er, as always.” 

“Uh huh. Yeah. Cool. Oh, I think Logan-is-calling-me-bye!” Virgil quickly sunk out and back to his own room, flopping face-down on the black shag carpet. 

Oh, he was fucked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These chapters were only supposed to be 500 words but you can see them creeping up cus my style is ~1,200 words per chapter, RIP.


	5. Dec. 5 - Sick Snake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus gets very interesting every year when Deceit gets sick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for Remus being gross, jealousy, one-sided sexual tension, one-sided attraction, and unreliable narrator having a slight crisis.

Remus is a good boy sometimes. 

He is! Or he can be, maybe. He is right now, because he needs to be good or he won’t get what he wants and he’ll ruin it all like he always does. 

Every single winter, Deceit got sick. Really, really, really sick. He would get all coughy and sniffly and he wouldn’t want to do his work but he would anyways! It made Remus think that Deceit might cough so hard that his lungs just came right out of his mouth and then Remus would have to pick them up and clean them in the sink and put them back really fast so that the only person who listened to him wouldn’t suffocate without him being able to watch. 

Currently, Remus was getting the medicines out of Deceit’s black painted cabinet in his bathroom so that Deceit’s lungs would stay inside his chest. Remus stepped back and looked at his reflection in the broken mirror before happily skipping out of the shitterroom and back into Dee Dee’s bedroom. 

“Dee! If you cough your lungs out, can I keep them?” the creative side leaped up on the bed next to the miserable snek side. 

Deceit hacked into his tissue and gave Remus a watery glare. 

Remus giggled. “I’ll take that as a maybe! Anyways I brought your medicines so your lungs don’t come out of your sexy body!” He brandished the pilfered bottle of pharmacy-approved drugs, which Deceit snatched from him roughly in that sexy rough way only Deceit could be rough. 

As Deceit took his sick boy drink, Remus snuggled into his side. Sick snake hours were the only hours where Remus was allowed to do things like this. To be close to Deceit, to be held close and receive head pats in exchange for sharing his body heat with the sick side. It was a shot of brain dolphins right into his head that made him feel all dizzy and tingly like bathing in a big tub of bleach except also he felt all high without the chemically smell of chemically chemicals. 

The lying side sighed as he held Remus close to his cold body. His eyes were all fluttery and distant, but he did look at Remus, and that was as close as the duke got to getting Deceit’s positive attention. 

“I’m sorry you got sick again even though you got fluffy clothes to wear.” Remus tugged at the soft material, feeling jealousy well up in his throat like the poisonous venom in the big mushroom monster he’d made in the Imagination last week for Roman to fight. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair because Deceit never liked any of the gifts Remus gave him. “They’re pretty.”

They were ugly. He hated them. 

Deceit made a soft noise of agreement, and pressed his cold forehead against Remus’ warmer one. He really was too cold and Remus could tell because Deceit’s human skin was also too cold to be okay and Remus was worried worried worried just like every time he got sick. 

But it didn’t matter because Deceit’s eyes were fluttering shut, and his eyelashes were all twitchy looking like spasming muscles in a dead animal. He was so pretty and soft and so unlike Remus, because Remus was gross and icky and ugly, but he still was so close… Like no matter how nasty Remus was, someone as perfect and good and smart and charming as Deceit didn’t break apart under the duke’s touch like everything else he liked did. 

The beautiful liar slowly dozed off on Remus’ shoulder, with his nose and chin nestled against Remus’ neck. 

And like every time they were here, Remus held as still as possible. He wanted to bury his nose in Deceit’s hair and sniff it up until he got high on Deceit’s scent, he wanted to put his hands all over him and kiss his scales and tell him he was beautiful and he couldn’t so he just thought about it safely in his own head instead because that didn’t hurt Deceit. 

Maybe that's what love was all about, or maybe he was just too wrong to love, but that was okay because at least he wasn't alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RIP Remus, killed by confusing feelings.


	6. Dec. 6 - Homemade Soup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soup and squabbles and sick snakes, oh my!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slight warning for Remus and Roman getting Pissy

“He’s sick?!” Patton squealed, holding the house phone with both hands. “You… You’ve been taking care of him by yourself this whole time?! Oh, goodness!” He waved a hand frantically at the other two sides in the living room, who looked up from their chess game, “Remus, kiddo, I am so sorry! We’ll head down there right away to help you out, okay? No, no, it’s okay, you don’t have to worry, it’s really not a big problem!” He was quiet, listening to the other side on the line, while Logan and Roman leaned closer to pick up on what was being said on the phone. “Is there anything we should bring? Has he eaten? Oh! Oh, I can make some soup for him! Yeah, we’ll be right there!” 

Patton put the clunky phone down, and turned to face the other two sides with wide eyes behind his glasses. “Deceit got a snake cold!” 

“How, disappointing,” Logan muttered, as Roman gasped in horror, “this is precisely what I had intended to avoid…” 

Roman slammed his hands on the table, upsetting the chess set and knocking several pieces onto the floor, much to the logical side’s distress. “Patton cakes! Did I hear that you intended to make some soup for our scaled paramour?” 

The moral side sighed, and crossed the carpet to sit on the now-chess-pieceless table. “Ro! You know it’s not like that.” He fluffed the princely side’s hair with a smile. “Yet, at least. Remember how you rushed into things with Virgil and you scared him off? It’d just be best to be friends with Dee first, like Lo said.”

Logan looked at the destroyed chess match with dismay. “Correct. Now, Patton,” he adjusted his own glasses, then reached up to fix Patton’s, “I believe you said something about cooking a soup?”

* * *

Deceit blinked blearily down at the steaming bowl of soup in front of him, then looked back up at the sides crowded around his bed. His nose was cleared for a bit, so he could smell it, and it smelled delicious. But he didn’t really know why they had put it in front of him or where his space heater side went. 

“We made you some soup!” Patton grinned, gesturing to the bowl that Logan was holding out with his mitten-clad hands. 

Deceit muttered something about remembering the time when Logan gave him his sweater. "Cus he was making dinner, right...? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Patton... Right, Patton is looking all sad with his big fluffy eyebrows all drawn in and sadly looking all sad. Noooo, sad Patton! That was bad. Batton. Sadton Badton. It's really sad that Patton is looking all sad..." 

Roman leaned around Virgil’s shoulder, looking really worried. “Deceit, my dear? Do you realize that you’re talking out loud…?” 

“Are my eyebrows that thick…?!” 

Deceit blinked again. Was he even aware he was talking out loud again? "Remus says that I sometimes... talk out loud when I'm all sick, but usually I just sleep through it... Sleep sleep sleep... Head feels all fuzzy... Fuzzy like Roman’s hair. Remus’ hair is frizzy, like a puffed up cat, but Roman’s is fuzzy like an un-puffed cat... Un-puffed? Non-puffed? Puff..." Deceit muttered about wanting to put his hands in it. 

“As interesting as this is to hear,” Logan adjusted his glasses, “I believe you should have some soup.” Deceit muttered as the "sexy nerd side with the delicious soup" - “I beg your pardon?” - sat on the bed and put the soup in Deceit’s lap. 

It was so warm, and it smelled so good… Deceit willingly let Logan spoon-feed him as the other three sides talked. He muttered that the soup was really good, better than the kind from the can that Remus always managed to burn, but he really wanted Remus back. Where did he go. He needed his Remus back, and didn't they get that? 

Logan sighed. “Patton, please go get some blankets and pillows from upstairs.”

The moral side jumped a bit, then nodded quickly and scurried off with a nervous “Sure thing!”, eager to be useful somehow when Deceit was so… Delirious. 

“Virgil, can you get into Deceit’s medicine cabinet?”

Nodding, Virgil slipped towards the bathroom. “Yeah, I remember where it is. I can probably find it, don’t worry.” 

“Roman,” Logan scooped up another spoonful of soup and coaxed Deceit to eat it, “Go find your brother. Before you say anything,” he added, raising his brow at Roman with a sharp, critical glare, “This is about Deceit. His comfort and willingness to heal should be your top priority.” 

Stiffening under Logan’s look, Roman finally gave a jerky nod and stormed out the door. 

Logan focused on spooning the steaming broth into Deceit’s mouth, giving a tired smile at the other’s happy sighs and contented little murmurs. “Not to worry, I am assured that Remus will be here shortly.” 

Deceit leaned back on Logan’s shoulder, relaxing into his warmth. The logical side let the liar cuddle up to him readily, listening to Virgil’s soft swears in the other room. 

When Remus reappeared, looking irritated, with Roman following him, Virgil had just stumbled into the bedroom again. The creativity stalked over to the bed, giving Logan a look that could melt steel beams, and crouched next to Deceit. When he spoke, it was soft and shockingly unlike his normal tone. 

“Hey, Dee Dee. I’m back.” Remus smiled, and Deceit made grabby hands at him until he leapt onto the bed, right over the other sides’ laps. “Someone had to go kick the heater!”

Deceit made a happy noise under his breath, and leaned heavily into Remus, already dozing back off. 

Remus waited until the liar had dozed off, and Patton had popped back in with piles of bedding, before he spoke again. 

“Get the fuck out.” 

Patton winced as he dropped the blankets and pillows on the bed. “Kiddo--” 

The intrusive side glared at him with seething hatred. “No. Get out. I told you I could do this, and I can, just like every year, just like every single time ever since Virgil left-” the side in question winced at the sound of his name “-and I don’t need help now. Get out and go watch a movie with Thomas,” he sneered, “Go be his little goody-two-shoes sides!” 

Logan set the bowl on the table as Patton slowly started to back up. 

“Dude--” Virgil started, only to drop it with a wince when Remus turned on him with a snarl. 

“What gives YOU the right to be here at all?! You LEFT US! You’re a traitor!” He barked, gritting his teeth, “None of you have the right to be here!” 

Logan stood, calmly taking Virgil’s wrist and pulling him along as he guided Patton out of the room. “I have a theory that none of this is actually in reference to us,” he muttered. 

Roman straightened his back and stood his ground. “You have no right to act like you control him! You know that Deceit is his own person, and that he can make his own choices, Remus!” 

The other royal side hunched protectively over the snake, still glaring like a cornered raccoon in a garage. “So it’s not enough, eh? Thomas’ love, Virgil, and now Deceit. You just can’t let me have anything,” he accused. 

“Oh come on,” Roman huffed, throwing his arms in the air, “You know I can’t help falling in love with every side! It’s who I am! Virgil isn’t even my fault--”

“Ssssssshut uuuuup,” Deceit whined, burying his face in Remus’ neck, “I demand cuddlesssss and food,” he muttered, making his grabby hands at Roman, “feed me.”

Rather than stop to gloat, Roman sprung into action, hurrying to the bedside and snatching the bowl off the bedside table. “Of course, dear,” he cooed, sitting on the edge of the bed and offering spoonfuls of soup to appease the grumpy serpent-faced aspect. 

Remus and Roman glared at each other over Deceit’s head, but stayed quiet while the liar happily ate. 

There would be lots of things to talk about later, but when Deceit sniffled and made sad eyes, the creative aspects willingly snuggled up to him, framing him in soft, warm affection, much to his delight, and set their rivalry aside long enough to comfort him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why is this so long who hurt me


	7. Dec. 7 - Pretty Lights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus and Roman try to cheer up a still-slightly-sick Deceit in a creative way

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter was so long and this one is STILL 200 words over I'm,,, Anyways Remus is surprisingly tame here with only one (1) near hit

“It’s up to you two to make it up to him,” Patton had said. 

“He’d be feeling way better now if you hadn’t made him all stressed,” Virgil had added.

“Stop complaining and learn to act like actual adults,” Logan had barked, effectively silencing the two creativities. 

So Remus and Roman had been placed on Cheering-Up-The-Snake duty, and it was obvious they weren’t the only ones irked about that. Deceit had been huffing and puffing the whole time, snapping at the creative aspects over the slightest things. He’d been distant and aggravated since they brought him to the castle in the Imagination, and doing a very good job of slowly guilting the two royals.

He just sat there, curled up on the couch in their personal parlor, looking incredibly forlorn and distraught. Surrounded by fluffy pillows and heaps of blankets that just weren’t lightening his dark expression, Deceit pouted in silent fury. 

The two royal sides watched from a safe distance with growing worry. Deceit’s mood had tanked as his health improved, and he’d been in a funk all day now. 

“We have to do something,” Roman muttered. 

Remus nodded. “He’s going to keep throwing a pissy bitch fit unless we cheer him up.” 

Huffing, Roman leaned back, the startled forward with a grin. “Now hold on just a moment, I think I have a brilliant idea, Rem!” He waved his arms energetically as he talked, a sure sign that he was getting worked up on an idea. 

And when Roman got excited, Remus got excited. “What is it, what is it? Spit it out like sour c--”

“What if,” the prince interrupted, hands still moving at Mach 5, “we made something cute and shiny to take his mind off whatever is bothering him so? We could make some… some… Fairy lights! Maybe!” 

Remus gave an energetic jump and began waving his own hands. “Fairy lights! Real ones! Dee Dee likes shiny things that are all golden!” 

Roman grabbed the other creative aspect’s hands in his own, matching the excited jumping of his crazier half. “We could make some firefly lights! Or just real fireflies! I am sure that some beautiful lights would relieve his sour moods!” 

They got to work right away. Sometimes, Roman forgot how relieving it was to work with a fellow creativity. Someone who could see where his vision was going and respond in kind… That was a rare thing around the mindscape. Occasionally he got that sort of thing from Thomas, but Thomas wasn’t a side, and Thomas wasn’t a creativity. He was human, and he was… different from Roman or Remus. 

Remus was still gross, but he understood Roman, and when they worked together, they actually made something… Nice. 

Deceit was still scowling when they returned. 

“Hello, Deceit,” Roman giggled. “We, ah, made you something.” 

Remus was practically vibrating. “Yes! We think you’re gonna love love love love l--” 

The liar hissed in annoyance. “Shut up and show me already!” He at least uncurled from his defensive position, though the scowl on his face didn’t lessen in the slightest. 

The creativities eagerly unleashed the swarm of multi-colored fireflies into the room, filling it with pinpricks of glowing lights. Fireflies in every shade of the rainbow danced around, casting a vast array of colors in every direction. 

Deceit’s mouth dropped open, to the creativities’ shared delight. 

The lying side watched in awe as the fireflies swirled and bobbed around them to an invisible tune, while Remus and Roman watched him. 

A happy Deceit, being genuinely, honestly happy, not sly or mischievious or sneaky, not dastardly or plotting, not looking like he needed to plot around everyone else, not haunted by the idea that every action was some kind of attack or a threat of attack made against him. Deceit, looking at ease and peaceful, looking relaxed and calm, with a slight smile starting to tug at the edges of his mouth. 

Remus and Roman sat, on opposite sides of the snake-faced side, and cuddled in close to him. When their eyes met over Deceit’s head, there was less venom this time - still some residual jealousy and irritation, but less so now. 

They hadn’t exactly patched their relationship up, but something about Deceit’s expression quieted their aggression towards each other. 

“They’re… beautiful.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think I can write something that's only 500 words. I know these are supposed to be short but I think it's not too big of a deal if they're closer to 700...


	8. Dec. 8 - Fuck Society

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan has ~feeeeelingsssss~ and Deceit is mad mad mad. Blushy nerds. Thanks, Roman, and RIP Virgil.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I basically failed already but I won't quit if I can help it. Even if it takes me until next December, I want to finish this.

If Logan was to give the title of “most perceptive” to any of the other sides, it would be Virgil. Virgil was keen eyed and while he was quick to jump to conclusions, Logan valued his input because without a doubt, Virgil would pick up on slight signals and hints of warnings. 

Thus, when Virgil barged into Logan’s study with loud concerns about Deceit, Logan had put his book aside and turned his chair to listen intently. 

“Something’s up with Deceit. He hates us! I can feel it! He’s so on edge - I definitely pissed him off, Lo, I fucked up and now he’ll never talk to me again!” The anxious trait paced back and forth on the beige carpet, chewing harshly on his thumbnail. “Ugh, it’s all my fault! I’ll be the reason he hates all of us, and then you’ll- you’ll have to-!” 

Logan stood quickly and caught Virgil by the arms, gently guiding him to sit on the soft couch next to his desk. “Virgil? Can you breathe for me? Do you remember the counts?” 

The punk-emo aspect nodded jerkily, and followed Logan’s breathing. It still took a bit to calm him down, however, Logan was proud of Virgil’s progress. Even if Virgil would still have episodes like this, where his anxiety drove him to seem near incomprehensible, Logan was proud of Virgil’s ability to bounce back. It brought a very interesting feeling to his chest he preferred not to think about. 

When Virgil’s breathing was nearly to his average, Logan coaxed him to explain. “What happened exactly, Virgil?” 

The anxious trait whimpered. “I don’t know! I don’t know what I did, it could be anything, but he’s mad at us and it’s got to be my fault somehow!” He chewed his sweater sleeve, already working himself back into a frenzy. “I’m the one he doesn’t like, and I’m gonna ruin it for everyone else! I have! I don’t even know what I did!” 

Logan gently urged Virgil to sit in his lap, trying to calm him back down. It seemed Virgil wasn’t capable of communicating about this particular issue, so Logan decided to drop the subject, metaphorically of course, and speak to Deceit about it later. 

After the hysteric emo curled up on his thighs and clawing at his shirt was safe. 

Later, as it turned out, came upon Logan while he was standing on the roof, attempting to star gaze. He’d received a new telescope from Roman - seemingly on a whim, considering there was no nearby holiday Roman could be celebrating by giving Logan such a stunning gift - and desperately wanted to try it out. 

The ever-shifting night sky revealed a new planetary nebula Logan hadn’t seen last week, located in a nearby-- 

The logical side jerked upright with a yelp, flinching away from the cold gloved fingers on his bare skin. He whipped his hair around to glare sharply at the lying side, and rather pointedly tugged his shirt back into place. What improper work behavior. 

“Deceit, I hadn’t noticed you arrived,” Logan muttered, adjusting his glasses, “I was preoccupied as I’m sure you noticed. Is there something you require?” 

The snake-faced aspect slipped up to Logan’s right side, looking almost wistfully out at the vibrant, rather unrealistic in Logan’s eyes, night sky. “Rather beautiful view, isn’t it?” He hummed, completely ignoring Logan’s question. “Have you ever been on a social media site?” 

Logan nearly did a double take. “Ah… Of course I have? What are you suggesting?” 

Deceit turned on his heel, capelet swirling behind him, and walked down to the other end of the roof, once more avoiding Logan’s questioning. “What an interesting thing, isn’t it? People connecting and bonding over similar thoughts and interests, yet simultaneously, destroying each other for differences, even others with those shared thoughts and interests.” He paced lazily on the edge of the roof, slowly making Logan more and more worried about how close he was to the prospect of falling. “People will accept any justification to harm someone. They will pretend that they are somehow morally justified, they will turn on their former friends at the blink of an eye.” 

Just as Logan was considering pulling Deceit from the edge, the other side suddenly turned and gave the left-brained aspect an intense stare. 

“Society is a plague. No subculture, no demographic, no group of people can be anything but a plague. Fuck society! We would be much better, much less disgusting, without it!” Deceit shrieked, working himself up into a more angry version of Virgil’s breakdowns.

Logan blinked slowly, then nodded. “I believe you’re having some cognitive distortions. A few negative experiences cannot speak for all--” 

The liar hissed, outright hissed, making the other jerk back. “It is far more than a few! I don’t know why I even bother attempting to explain, you all never listen! It’s like you’re completely unaware how important, how essential I am, for Thomas, for all of us!” 

“Ah,” the teacher sighed, sorrowfully adjusting his glasses, “that is what they call, a ‘mood,’ isn’t it?” 

Deceit seemed shocked, and allowed Logan to cross the roof himself to speak more intimately to him. A part of Logan that he preferred to shove down and ignore lit up at the idea that Deceit trusted him enough to let him get this close, close enough that their foggy breaths mingled together in the freezing air, close enough he could see the darkening red on Deceit’s human skin. 

Logan attempted to smile reassuringly. “I must admit I do know how that feels. It seems that there is no way to speak to the others sometimes, correct? They just refuse to listen.” 

Stunned, Deceit gave a short, jerky nod. “Th… that’s. Yes. That’s it.” He hesitated, then leaned slightly closer to Logan. “I… Logan, this is rather… feelings-y, now isn’t it?” The liar nervously looked up into the other’s eyes, his own still reflecting his uncertainty. 

“I don’t know,” Logan admitted slightly breathlessly, slowly raising his hand, “Would you allow me to touch your scales? I must admit I am curious about them.”

Deceit’s eyes flickered closed. “I suppose,” he whispered. 

Quickly peeling off his gloves, Logan nearly cried out with joy. This meant something beyond what he could explain, that he did know, just like when Virgil had let him first tangle his fingers in his hair, when Roman let him see him cry, when Patton finally opened up about his depressive feelings. It meant something he couldn’t really dissect or comprehend. Eugh, feelings. 

Just as Logan’s bare skin connected with Deceit’s cold cheeks, the door behind them banged open. 

The two violently jolted apart, nearly toppling over the edge of the roof, faces brilliantly scarlet, as they both whipped around to look at the intruding side. 

Roman blinked blindly at them, his own face growing more and more red. “Uh. Ahem! Well, er, allow me to step back out! M… my apologies!” He stammered, quickly backing back inside and slamming the door harder than properly needed as he tried to scamper down the stairs.

Unfortunately, the moment was ruined, and Logan stepped back, finally feeling the cold. Deceit seemed disappointed to him, and Logan couldn’t explain why it made his chest ache deeply. “Oh. Deceit… Allow me to take you stargazing sometime?” 

The secretive side glanced up again, blinking repeatedly in shock. “I… would like that, very much. Thank you, Logan.” 

Feelings, Logan cursed internally, looking at Deceit’s bright smile, were the bane of his existence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ship is coming together nicely, ahuhuhuh. Virgil and Logan being cuddly? Blushy Logan and Deceit? Roman giving gifts? Yes, it's all connected. One month of time is gonna be enough for feelings to come to the surface, hm...


End file.
